Magnús Örn Gunnarsson is an impressive leader with the uncanny ability to make great ideas a reality. He is currently taking time off from his studies to build up the liberty movement in Iceland and pursue some entrepreneurship ventures. These ventures range from creating a website to facilitate the exchange of ideas and a men’s accessories brand. In all these different projects that require a variety of skills, Magnús believes his involvement with SFL over the past few years has helped to prepare him for his entrepreneurial activities.
“SFL has helped me pursue my own career interests while fighting for freedom. With SFL, students have some skin in the game, and that allows me to experiment with projects and explore different ways of promoting freedom. This project management experience is valuable in business. Thanks to SFL’s training programs, I have also developed my leadership and fundraising skills.”
Magnús first got introduced to Students For Liberty in 2014, and he is currently the Regional Director for Northern Europe, a position he has held since 2017. In 2016, he organized the Icelandic Free Summer Academy which started a tradition of having a pro-liberty academy each year. In the same year, he founded the Association of Liberal High School Students, which has since become the most active pro-liberty high school youth group in the country. In September 2018, he became the Director of the Reykjavík Student Conference, which attracted 120 students. He was selected as one of the Top Global Leaders in the SFL network and was later invited to Washington D.C. for LibertyCon 2019.
Over the last few years, he has leveraged SFL’s various training courses. He found the fundraising and public speaking training particularly helpful, as well as the educational opportunities at different retreats. He used the knowledge he gained to set up an extensive donor network for pro-liberty causes in his home country, Iceland. Today, this network generates tens of thousands of dollars every year for various organizations that promote freedom in the country.
Magnús is currently involved in a project to launch the Bastiat Society of Iceland, as well as a few other private entrepreneurial ventures in tech and fashion. He continues to be dedicated to his work with Students For Liberty.
“SFL empowers people to develop themselves in order to help their communities. There is so much value in the work I am able to do with SFL and the relationships I have built with young leaders across Europe. SFL is the best opportunity to meet with like-minded people and engage with pro-liberty ideas. It is a challenging experience that is also unimaginably uplifting.”